Tank roof seam



' Dec. 27, 1938. F. HAHN ET AL TANK ROOF S EAM Filed Jan. 2, 1937 3Sheets-Sheet l Zjlllllll Dec. 27, 1938. F. HAHN ET AL 2,141,861

TANK ROOF SEAM Filed Jan. 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 27,1938 UNITED STATES TANK noon seam Frederick Hahn, Union, and Leo W.Schradcr, Elizabeth, N. J'., assignors to Standard Oil DevelopmentCompany, a corporation of Delaware Application January 2, 1937, SerialNo. 118,706

8Claims.

The present invention relates to a tank for combustible materials inwhich the roof or a portion of it may be secured to the remainingstructure of the tank in such manner as to accomplish the rapid andautomatic release ofabnormal or destructive pressures developed withinthe tank as a result of an explosion or excessive heating of the tankcontents.

More particularly, this invention relates to the means whereby suchrelease of pressure may be accomplished without damage to the otherportions of the tank and without uncontrolled release of its contents.

The invention may be fully understood from the following description,when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which likeparts are designated by similar numbers and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from beneath and partly in cross section ofa tank roof secured to the tank in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above and partly in cross section of atank roof showing an alternate construction according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a tank showing an alternatemeans for securing the roof to the tank walls.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a tank showing another meansaccording to the invention.

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view from above and partly in cross sectionshowing another form of construction according to the invention. 7

Fig. 6 is a perspective view from above a section of a tank showingstill another form of construction according to the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral l designates a tank having sidewalls 2,an annular angle brace 3 secured to said walls at the upper edgethereof, and a roof 4. The roof 4 is composed of overlapping plates 5and is joined to the sidewalls 2 by means of clip members 6 secured tothe roof in spaced relation circumferentially thereof and provide forfrictional engagement with the substantially horizontal portion 1 of theangle brace 3. In eifect, the angle brace 3 may, for the purpose of thisinvention, be considered as part of the roof and the roof may then bedescribed as having a separable portion and a portion rigidly secured tothe tank walls. A gasket or caulking material 8 may be interposedbetween the roof plates 5 and the portion 1 to provide a vapor tightseal. The clip members 6 are substantially Z-shaped and are secured tothe roof by means of rivets 9 or otherwise. As shown, the members 6 maybe formed as one piece consisting of substantially horizontal arms Illand H spaced from each other and joined by means of a vertical portionl2. The arms II are of suflicient length to provide rigid engagementwith the roof plates 5. The vertical portion I2 is approximately equalin length to the thickness oi the portion 1 of the angle brace 3. Thelength of the arm I 0 may be varied according to the position of theclip 6 with relation to the roof edge and according to the degree ofresistance to pressure within the tank for which provision is to bemade. Ordinarily, the length 01' this arm should be sumcient so as toprovide engagement with the portion I for a distance of from to 1".

In the alternate structure shown by Fig. 2, the portion permanentlysecured to the sidewalls consists of the annular angle brace 3 and theouter strake of roof plates 5. v The inner strake of roof platesoverlaps the outer strake in the usual manner and in this instance issecured to the outer strake by means of the Z-shaped clip members 6which in this form of construction are secured in spaced relationcircumferentially of the upper surface of the outer strake of roofplates in such manner as to frictionally engage the edge of the nextinner strake.

In Fig. 3 is shown a section of a structure substantially similar tothat shown in Fig. 1, in which the clip member 6 is angular in crosssection having a horizontal arm l3 and a vertical arm It, by whichlatter the clip is secured to the root plates 5 by welds l5.

Fig. 4 illustrates another form of clip member 6 in which this member,substantially angular in cross section, is formed of two substantiallyiiat strips l6 and I1, one longer than the other, the longer strip i6forming the horizontal arm of the angular clip and the shorter strip I!the vertical arm, the two parts of the clip member thus formed beingsecured to the roof plates by means of bolts l8 or the like.

Fig. 5 illustrates another variation of structure according to theinvention and specifically a means providing for selective. adjustmentof the sensitivity of the device in releasing pressure within the tankand for insuring a vapor tight seal between the separable and fixedportions. As shown, the angle brace 3 is secured to the outer face ofthe tank sidewalls 2 and the clip members 6 are secured thereto in theusual manner by means of rivets, bolts or welding. The free arm oi. theclip, however, is provided with a bolt hole, as is the angle brace 3 ata point coinciding with that of the clip member and a bolt I9 is passedtherethrough and loosely secured. The roof plates 5, at the pointsengaged by the clip members 6, are provided with slots into which thebolts l9 may pass when the plates are laid in position. A similarlyslotted gasket 2| may be disposed between the roof plate and the anglebrace 3. When the structure is assembled, the bolts is may be drawn upto any extent desired either to increase the effectiveness of the gasketor by increasing the frictional resistance between the parts, toincrease the resistance of the separable portion to pressure within thetank.

Fig. 6 illustrates a structure in which the clip members are formed ofsingle fiat strips 22 secured to that portion of the roof fixedlysecured to the tank sidewalls 2. As shown, the angle brace 3 is disposedupon the outer surface of the walls 2 at the upper edge. The firststrake of plates 23 is rigidly affixed to the angle brace at their outeredge and have affixed to their under surface by means of a weld 24 anannular member 25 which provides a ledge upon which the next strake of.plates 26 may be disposed. A gasket material 2'! is inserted between theedge of the two strakes. The clip members 22 are disposed at spacedintervals circumferentially of the inner edge of the outer strake ofplates on the upper surface thereof and secured thereto by means ofbolts 20. If desired, the outer edges of the plates forming the strake26 may be slotted and the clip members 22 bolted to the member 25 inorder to obtain a structure providing for adjustability, as described inconnection with Fig. 5.

As may be noted from the drawings, the clips 6 cooperate with the roofplates 5 to form a plurality of U-shaped slots, the upper and lowersides of which frictionally engage the upper and lower surfaces of thatportion permanently secured to the tank walls.

In service, the generation of excessive pressure below the tank roofwill cause the separable portion of the roof to bulge upwardly, -therebyshortening its span and causing it to be disengaged from that portionpermanently secured to the tank walls. This permits the separableportion to disengage itself from the tank and move upwardly under theforce of the pressure within so as to accomplish the release of suchpressure.

The foregoing description is illustrative only, various changes beingpossible within the scope of the appended claims as, for example, thedisposition of the angle brace on either the inner or outer surface ofthe tank walls or the utilization of the means for adjusting theresistance of the structure to pressure as shown by Fig. 5 or describedin connection with Fig. 1 and it is intended to claim all noveltyinherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

We claim:

1. In a roof for storage tanks including a separable portion and aportion fixedly secured to the tank wall, a means for joining saidportions comprising a plurality of clip members secured in spacedrelation circumferentially of one portion and forming therewith a seriesof slots adapted to receive in frictional engagement the adjoining edgeof the other portion, the span of said separable portion being variableunder positive pressure from within the tank, to an extent suificient todisengage said portion from the portion fixedly secured to the tankwall.

2. A roof for storage tanks according to claim 1 in which said clipmembers are secured in spaced relation circumferentially of the uppersurface of that portion of the roof fixedly secured to the tank wall.

3. A roof for storage tanks according to claim 1 in which said clipmembers are secured in spaced relation circumferentially of the undersurface of the separable portion oi the roof.

4. In a roof for storage tanks including a separable portion and aportion fixedly secured to the tank wall, means for separably joiningsaid portions, comprising a plurality of substantially Z-shaped clipmembers, means for securing said members to one portion of said roof toform with said roof portion a plurality of slots adapted to receive, infrictional engagement, the adjoining edge of the remaining portion.

5. In a roof for storage tanks, including a separable portion and aportion fixedly secured to the tank wall, means for separably joiningsaid portions, comprising a plurality of angular clip members eachhaving a horizontal arm and a vertical arm, means for securing saidmembers to one of said roof portions whereby said horizontal arms arespaced from the last mentioned roof portion by the vertical portions ofsaid arms and.

form therewith slots adapted to receive, in frictional engagement, theadjoining edge of the remaining portion oi the roof.

6. A means for separably joining two portions of a roof for storagetanks according to claim 5, in which the angular clip members consist oftwo substantially fiat strips one longer than the other, the longerstrip forming the horizontal arm and the shorter strip the vertical arm.

7. In a roof for storage tanks including a separable portion and aportion fixedly secured to the tank wall, a means for joining saidportions comprising a plurality of clip members secured by one end inspaced relation circumferentially of one portion and forming therewith aseries of slots adapted to receive in frictional engagement theadjoining edge of the other portion, a bolt passing through the free endof each of said clip members and through the portion of said roof towhich the clip is secured and slots in the edge of the other portionadapted to receive said bolts, the span of the separable portion beingvariable under positive pressure from within the tank to an extentsufficient to disengage said portion from the portion fixedly secured tothe tank wall.

8. In a roof for storage tanks including a separable portion and aportion fixedly secured to the tank wall, a means for joining saidportions comprising an annular member secured to one face of one of saidportions to form a ledge projecting beyond the edge thereof, a pluralityof clip members secured to the other face of said portion, in spacedrelation circumferentially and projecting beyond the edge thereof toform with said ledge a plurality of slots adapted to frictionallyreceive the adjoining edge of the other portion of said roof, the spaceof the separable portion being variable under positive pressure fromwithin the tank to an extent sufilcient to disengage said portion fromthe portion fixedly secured to the tank wall.

FREDERICK HAHN. LEO W. SCHRADER.

